Open Gear Lube?

Kentuckydiesel · Jul 9, 2018

We used to have open gear lube that was the consistency of heavy tar for the big gears on our older presses. We had to heat it up to pour it on to the gears. It was a pain to apply, but worked very well. Lately we haven't been able to find anything similar, and the lighter weight stuff is just dripping off and making a mess.
Can anyone point me toward an open gear lube similar to what we used in the past?

Thanks,
Phillip

DDoug · Jul 9, 2018

Mobil makes a product, that has to be heated, jet black like tar, nicknamed "jet lube".

This looks to be a "less messy" replacement:
Jet-Lube, LLC. | OG-H - Open Gear Lubricant

GTinGA · Jul 9, 2018

Phillip,
I found some in a rattle can at my local industrial supply store. Sprays on then the carrier evaporates, easier than what you used but still can be a mess. I'm out of it now so can't tell you who makes it but it was sold for use on wire rope/cable and pulleys. I use it on boat trailer leaf springs, no rust in years.

Mud · Jul 9, 2018

If you search for chain and cable lube you'll find it also described as open gear lube. I have a can of that black tarry stuff that sprays on and sets up thick, can't remember the name but there are lots of brand names of it on the market.

SouthBendModel34 · Jul 9, 2018

Digger Doug,

I liked the last line in the description of that OH-G Open Gear Lubricant:

"It has also been utilized successfully as a ship-launching grease."

JRR

DDoug · Jul 9, 2018

SouthBendModel34 said:
Digger Doug,

I liked the last line in the description of that OH-G Open Gear Lubricant:

"It has also been utilized successfully as a ship-launching grease."

JRR

Let me tell you a leetle story....

I worked with a "nautical engineer", he designed boats europe.

I asked about launching, he said they use "banana peel lubricant" it came
in drums.

he said the horrible smell of it smoking when launching was really something....

DMF_TomB · Jul 9, 2018

Kentuckydiesel said:
We used to have open gear lube that was the consistency of heavy tar for the big gears on our older presses. We had to heat it up to pour it on to the gears. It was a pain to apply, but worked very well. Lately we haven't been able to find anything similar, and the lighter weight stuff is just dripping off and making a mess.
Can anyone point me toward an open gear lube similar to what we used in the past?

Thanks,
Phillip

open gear grease gets push off teeth in mesh. its mostly just covers stuff not in mesh. often looks like ice cream in big pile as with new greasing rarely is old grease removed.
.
grease comes #2 is normal soft grease, #3 and #4 i believe is thicker or higher soap to oil content
.
they sell auto grease units that small amount comes out each day for like months of greasing

William Ward · Jul 9, 2018

Crater Compound is what is used in diesel locomotive gear cases. It has the consistency you describe.
https://cglapps.chevron.com/msdspds/PDSDetailPage.aspx?docDataId=336255&docFormat=PDF

Don't get it on your clothes, it won't come out and if you get it on your skin use clean oil to get the bulk of it off.

mmarquette · Jul 9, 2018

Scheaffer products "Silver streak" is what you need. Comes in aaresol can . Don't know where you are at in KY but the Napa stores in Lexington Frankfort shellbyville Georgetown Paris Winchester and Danville have it or can get it. I order my Scheaffer stuff through my sales guy.

tdmidget · Jul 9, 2018

Mobil does not have a product called "Jet Lube". What you describe is something like Crater Compound. Ask yourself if you really want to fuck around heating a bucket up so you can paddle a little on. How often will you want to go through this ordeal? I learned long ago that if you want something lubricated with any regularity, make it easy. Mobil Tac 375, same stuff with a solvent, spray it on, let it dry and you're golden. It does not matter who is doing it, whose machine it is. If it's easy it will get done more frequently than the ordeal you describe.

DDoug · Jul 9, 2018

tdmidget said:
Mobil does not have a product called "Jet Lube". What you describe is something like Crater Compound. Ask yourself if you really want to fuck around heating a bucket up so you can paddle a little on. How often will you want to go through this ordeal? I learned long ago that if you want something lubricated with any regularity, make it easy. Mobil Tac 375, same stuff with a solvent, spray it on, let it dry and you're golden. It does not matter who is doing it, whose machine it is. If it's easy it will get done more frequently than the ordeal you describe.

It was a nickname the shop rats gave it..... keeeerist already.

Heating instead of flammable solvents ? Could be decided either way.

SouthBendModel34 · Jul 9, 2018

Now, I am confused !

Digger Doug posted a link to a product from "Jet-Lube LLC, a CSW Industries Company" As near as I can understand this, Jet-Lube is the name of a company that manufactures "OG-H" high temperature open gear lubricant. (Their "mission statement" clearly refers to manufacturing.)

So, this is a company name which is also used as a nickname for both their product and the comparable product from Mobil ???

So, what is the actual name of the comparable Mobil product? Is it part of their Dynagear product line?

tdmidget · Jul 9, 2018

Mobil has Dyna gear and Mobil Tac lines. Not sure what the differences are. I think both come in solvent/spray and semi solid.

john.k · Jul 9, 2018

Most of the old black open gear lubes had powdered lead in them,same with the HD liquid lubes used in semi open gearboxes in the old crawler draglines...The black gear and wire rope lubes normally are available in a liquid form with a solvent so they can be sprayed on.....The black lubes have disappeared simply because workers wont use them .The general idea of the black lubes was they dried hard,and didnt pick up grit like oily lubes....As mentioned ,on big gears ,they quickly wear off the pressure faces ,leaving nearly bare metal,and have to be reapplied every few hours,which was the case with the old cranes that needed greasing every few hours working time.

Illinoyance · Jul 9, 2018

Chevron - Texaco makes Crater Compound. That is what my friend used on the open gears of a well drill. A paving contractor I worked with had used Crater on the open gears and chains of his asphalt plant. He later tried to use paving asphalt in the same application. He said it worked just as well. Like Crater it had to be heated before it could be poured.

true temper · Jul 10, 2018

I bought several cans of Krylon open gear lube several years ago. I use it to protect threaded adjustment bolts in extreme corrosive environment it really works well.

kram390 · Jul 10, 2018

U might be able to find it in places they sell stuff for excavators. The turning assembly has open gears that need to be lubed also, they have some kind of special grease for it.

SouthBendModel34 · Jul 10, 2018

JohnK,

I've seen some references to molybdenum in current gear lubes. Perhaps this is in lieu of the Lead you mentioned in Post #14.

Illinoyance:

There seems to be a typo in your post #15 - did you mean to type "paving" asphalt? Beware of the Spell Checker - it's just as much of a hinderance as it is a help!

IMO, this is a useful and informative thread!

John Ruth
Who remembers seeing Black Bear gear lube in his youth, but cannot find it on their website.

Illinoyance · Jul 10, 2018

SouthBendModel34 said:
JohnK,

I've seen some references to molybdenum in current gear lubes. Perhaps this is in lieu of the Lead you mentioned in Post #14.

Illinoyance:

There seems to be a typo in your post #15 - did you mean to type "paving" asphalt? Beware of the Spell Checker - it's just as much of a hinderance as it is a help!

IMO, this is a useful and informative thread!

John Ruth
Who remembers seeing Black Bear gear lube in his youth, but cannot find it on their website.

Misspelling corrected. The spell checker didn't get me. The C and V keys are adjacent and I am in the recliner with the laptop balanced on my belly.

ramsay1 · Jul 10, 2018

Lubriplate use to sell it in caulking tubes that fit an ordinary caulking gun... We used it on open gears on American cranes.. I think it is less messy than spray cans but that is just my opinion..... Ramsay 1

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